Leprechaun In Aesperia
by Rhuen
Summary: A Dark Entity has enlisted the aid of the vile Leprechaun to attack Rhulan the Sorceress and her student/companion Hollia the white sorceress.


A green portal appears in the middle of the forest, out of which steps a small ugly man in a strange green costume.

"Ah," says the man, "So this is the place, the dark one better be right…oh treasure and riches shall soon be mine."

*chirp?*

Lin Lin floats over a log and tilts her head at the little man.

"What manner of wyrm are you?" says the Leprechaun, "no matter, no gold hording wyrm will keep me from the treasure no doubt in a cave just behind you beastie."

"Ah-ha!" shouts the Leprechaun as he shoots a green energy bolt splitting the log as Lin Lin dodges and flies away.

"No wings and yet she flies," says the Leprechaun, "no matter, lead me back to the treasure foul beast."

He laughs like a mad-man as he follows Lin Lin over the rocks, the stream, the grass, past some odd white mushroom like things he doesn't recognize, yet the quest for treasure blinds him to any unfamiliar sights until he stops short at a dirt road where Lin Lin has flown into the air and hovers about Hollia. Beside her is Rhulan.

"Who are you?" asks Hollia.

"So," says the Leprechaun, "tis not a golden bounty the dragon guards, but a bountiful virgin. You will make a wonderful bride…"

He scowls over at Rhulan, "be gone governess the girl is mine now!"

He waves his hand and sends a green electric bolt at Rhulan. She absorbs it.

"What the bloody hell," says the Leprechaun, "I see I was too quick, by thy garb I see thee are a witch. So what price you want for the…"

*punt*

Rhulan kicks the little man sending him flying into the air.

A green *flash* and he is back on the trail.

"Oh so tis like that is it lassie? I may not look like I have much to offer, certainly not money. But perhaps knowledge…power…I have more magic than…"

"Mystic bolt," says Rhulan throwing the violet fiery energy with a flick of her wrist at the ground, "be gone yourself annoying creature."

Hollia looks down at the Leprechaun, "My apologies sir, I…don't know what you are talking about, however we are adventurers on a job. Perhaps you are under the influence of something causing confusion here,"

She reaches into a sack, her arm going deeper than the sack should allow and pulls out a vile with a pink fluid inside, "Here sir, this is a status antidote, it will clear your head of what ever is confusing you."

Hollia sets the vile on the ground. As they walk off the confused Leprechaun picks up the vile, opens it and gives it a whiff.

"Potent magic," says the Leprechaun, "so they were both witches."

(#Fool!###) comes a harsh voice bringing pain to the Leprechaun, "I told you magic is what stands between you and the riches, those two are your enemy."

"Oh but I fancy the young virgin lass," says the Leprechaun.

"Then have her," says the voice, "the dark sorceress is your opponent. She is my enemy. Destroy her and all the wealth shall be yours!"

The Leprechaun spins and vanishes.

He appears again, suddenly however he finds a cape wrapped around him, he is scooped up smashed into the ground and thrown from the cape into the air. He lands and tumbles a short distance before standing and dusting himself off.

"That was unexpected," says the Leprechaun pulling a sword from his tiny cane.

Rhulan, Hollia, and Lin Lin are clearly ready for battle, Lin Lin's head back like a snake ready to strike and Hollia having summoned her staff holding it before her.

"You know," says Rhulan, "your master really shouldn't speak to your through the astral plane. Every mystical and magically trained individual and creature for miles felt his dark evil presence. No doubt at this moment numerous adventurers and creatures out to protect their territories are on their way to investigate."

"I do not scare so easily," says the Leprechaun, "nor scar so easily witch. Have at thee!"

He shoots a green bolt, it changes direction and goes into Rhulan's hand instead of at Hollia where he aimed.

"what?" says the Leprechaun as the energy becomes a green fire in Rhulan's hand and is snuffed out as she closes her fist.

"A transportation spell?" asks Rhulan, "trying to kidnap Hollia?"

"I thought you only an old man," says Hollia, "I see now you're a demon! As a priestess of the goddess I can not allow you to taint our land with your evil!"

Hollia's staff glows white.

"What is this light?" demands the Leprechaun shielding his eyes, which start to boil and steam, "Why…why does it hurt!?"

Hollia's Light of Banishment fades away leaving the Leprechaun steaming but still intact.

"What happened?" asks Hollia.

"He is not a true demon," says Rhulan, "at least not the kind that can be sent away by such a spell. However clearly he is not an…elite demon, or something that would be immune. He was harmed, just not sent away. No doubt that evil that spoke to him has anchored him to this world for some task."

"True, so true," says the Leprechaun who with preternatural speed, strength, and an unnatural cry leaps into the air at Rhulan.

She grabs him by the throat, her movements too fast for him to see.

He smiles, the blade of his sword extending. He feels his cane kick back in his hand. The blade tip has met a blue spot, an energy barrier against her body. The corset like top however displays another trick as thin shadowy tendrils come from it and wrap around the cane ripping it from his hands and throwing it to the ground.

"What manner of witch are you?" asks the Leprechaun through gritted teeth.

"I am a sorceress," says Rhulan as her hand glows with violet flames followed by, "Mystic Blast."

The beam consumes the Leprechaun, and blasts a small crater in the path.

"What was that about?" asks Hollia.

"That voice," says Rhulan, "It felt familiar…hmmm, yes, a demon I fought once a very long time ago."

"Is it…" starts Hollia.

"No," says Rhulan, "this is unrelated, something older, something I slew fairly easily. However it comes to mind quickly thanks to the dimension gate."

"The gate?" asks Hollia worried, "but all we fought was a giant insect."

"It's the reason I had the project shut down," says Rhulan, "a demon had arrived on Aesperia, claiming my actions had unbalanced the supposed balance between good and evil. I slew it and shut down the dimension gate project. There were no other intrusions…that I was aware of."

"You believe using the gate…brought that…thing here?"

Rhulan puts her hand to her check, index finger pointed behind her eye in thought, "I can't be certain. It could just be coincidence. After all this demon was far weaker than the one I fought before, and didn't seem to be nearly so focused. It could just be a coincidence, however the chance does exist of the gate being keyed to this. But given all the transportation between this reality and other realities of late it does seem unlikely that if this enemy is such a force that could sense the gate that it wouldn't have sensed a different portal…our visit to Dark World could just as easily for example have been the key. I will need to see into this."

Hollia nods, she was expecting Rhulan to turn back towards Stratalia and is caught off guard as Rhulan continues towards Agate Town.

"Like I said," says Rhulan seeing Hollia's confusion, "it's more likely to be our trip to a demon world or any number of similar portals. When we do return I'll look into the gateway's controls to see if that demon jumped off its signal. But given it came to us, there is no reason to deviate from our normal agenda."

"Yes Miss Rhulan," says Hollia following.

Lin Lin looks down at the staff which begins to pulsate and flies down quickly to smash it with an electrically charged tail smack.

"You coming Lin Lin?" calls back Hollia.

Lin Lin *chirps* and catches up quickly.


End file.
